AJ had a c/s with Charlie and regrets it. However, it was our only legal option. She was too far overdue for the midwife to continue caring for her, and no OB would take her on, and no hospital would induce her. It's probably a good thing she did, as he was nearly twelve pounds and HUGE and they had trouble getting him out even in a c/s. Anyhoo....
I know three people who have done VBACs, and none of them regret it at all. I have another friend who tried a VBAC, DID rupture, had an emergency (TRUE emergency) C with hysterectomy, and STILL doesn't regret it and feels like she made the best choice and advises everyone to do it if they are comfortable with it. I think that speaks volumes, since she DID have the complication everyone fears, but still feels like she made the right choice. It was also the ONLY rupture that had ever happened in her hospital.
AJ will have a VBAC, and likely at home, since it's illegal to have a birthing center VBAC in FL. The OB that delivered Charlie told her to have a VBAC, that there was no reason she shouldn't.
If you break your leg, you don't stop walking or running, right? If you get stitches, you don't avoid using that area forever for fear it will open up again. If you tear a muscle, you let it heal, and then resume normal use, right? Well, giving birth IS normal use for a uterus. It was damaged, it healed, now time to start using it again. I personally would not trust an OB who performed a C and then told me never to have another vaginal birth. Does that doctor not trust his/her own handiwork?
Uterine rupture is extremely rare. The uterus was designed to give birth, and it normally does it quite effectively. Your best chance of having a VBAC though would be with a midwife. An OB is going to likely require drugs and the stranded beetle position.
Not to use her as an example, but she is SUCH a good one... Michelle Duggar had a c/s with her first set of twins (kids 2 and 3). She then had vaginal births (even at home, including another set of twins) until kid number 15, which was a c/s. Kid 16 was vaginal, again. Seriously, is a uterus THAT used can still do it, well....
(I only know this because I was so impressed when I heard it, and use it as an example that VBACs can and do happen safely. I do not recommend having another dozen children though, unless you really want to).